diff --git a/lib/chef-dk/policyfile_services/export_repo.rb b/lib/chef-dk/policyfile_services/export_repo.rb
index 35dd02e08..f2a46b476 100644
--- a/lib/chef-dk/policyfile_services/export_repo.rb
+++ b/lib/chef-dk/policyfile_services/export_repo.rb
@@ -16,6 +16,7 @@
 #
 
 require 'fileutils'
+require 'tmpdir'
 
 require 'chef-dk/service_exceptions'
 require 'chef-dk/policyfile_lock'
@@ -50,6 +51,8 @@ def initialize(policyfile: nil, export_dir: nil, root_dir: nil, archive: false,
         policyfile_rel_path = policyfile || "Policyfile.rb"
         policyfile_full_path = File.expand_path(policyfile_rel_path, root_dir)
         @storage_config = Policyfile::StorageConfig.new.use_policyfile(policyfile_full_path)
+
+        @staging_dir = nil
       end
 
       def archive?
@@ -79,10 +82,19 @@ def policyfile_lock
         @policyfile_lock || validate_lockfile
       end
 
+      def archive_file_location
+        return nil unless archive?
+        filename = "#{policyfile_lock.name}-#{policyfile_lock.revision_id}.tgz"
+        File.join(export_dir, filename)
+      end
+
       def export
-        create_repo_structure
-        copy_cookbooks
-        create_policyfile_data_item
+        with_staging_dir do
+          create_repo_structure
+          copy_cookbooks
+          create_policyfile_data_item
+          mv_staged_repo
+        end
       rescue => error
         msg = "Failed to export policy (in #{policyfile_filename}) to #{export_dir}"
         raise PolicyfileExportRepoError.new(msg, error)
@@ -90,13 +102,27 @@ def export
 
       private
 
-      def create_repo_structure
-        FileUtils.rm_rf(cookbooks_dir)
-        FileUtils.rm_rf(policyfiles_data_bag_dir)
+      def with_staging_dir
+        p = Process.pid
+        t = Time.new.utc.strftime("%Y%m%d%H%M%S")
+        Dir.mktmpdir("chefdk-export-#{p}-#{t}") do |d|
+          begin
+            @staging_dir = d
+            yield
+          ensure
+            @staging_dir = nil
+          end
+        end
+      end
+
+      def staging_dir
+        @staging_dir
+      end
 
+      def create_repo_structure
         FileUtils.mkdir_p(export_dir)
-        FileUtils.mkdir_p(cookbooks_dir)
-        FileUtils.mkdir_p(policyfiles_data_bag_dir)
+        FileUtils.mkdir_p(cookbooks_staging_dir)
+        FileUtils.mkdir_p(policyfiles_data_bag_staging_dir)
       end
 
       def copy_cookbooks
@@ -107,7 +133,7 @@ def copy_cookbooks
 
       def copy_cookbook(lock)
         dirname = "#{lock.name}-#{lock.dotted_decimal_identifier}"
-        export_path = File.join(export_dir, "cookbooks", dirname)
+        export_path = File.join(staging_dir, "cookbooks", dirname)
         metadata_rb_path = File.join(export_path, "metadata.rb")
         FileUtils.cp_r(lock.cookbook_path, export_path)
         FileUtils.rm_f(metadata_rb_path)
@@ -122,8 +148,6 @@ def copy_cookbook(lock)
       end
 
       def create_policyfile_data_item
-        policy_id = "#{policyfile_lock.name}-#{POLICY_GROUP}"
-        item_path = File.join(export_dir, "data_bags", "policyfiles", "#{policy_id}.json")
 
         lock_data = policyfile_lock.to_lock.dup
 
@@ -144,6 +168,17 @@ def create_policyfile_data_item
         end
       end
 
+      def mv_staged_repo
+        # If we got here, either these dirs are empty/don't exist or force is
+        # set to true.
+        FileUtils.rm_rf(cookbooks_dir)
+        FileUtils.rm_rf(policyfiles_data_bag_dir)
+
+        FileUtils.mv(cookbooks_staging_dir, export_dir)
+        FileUtils.mkdir_p(export_data_bag_dir)
+        FileUtils.mv(policyfiles_data_bag_staging_dir, export_data_bag_dir)
+      end
+
       def validate_lockfile
         return @policyfile_lock if @policyfile_lock
         @policyfile_lock = ChefDK::PolicyfileLock.new(storage_config).build_from_lock_data(policy_data)
@@ -188,8 +223,28 @@ def cookbooks_dir
         File.join(export_dir, "cookbooks")
       end
 
+      def export_data_bag_dir
+        File.join(export_dir, "data_bags")
+      end
+
       def policyfiles_data_bag_dir
-        File.join(export_dir, "data_bags", "policyfiles")
+        File.join(export_data_bag_dir, "policyfiles")
+      end
+
+      def policy_id
+        "#{policyfile_lock.name}-#{POLICY_GROUP}"
+      end
+
+      def item_path
+        File.join(staging_dir, "data_bags", "policyfiles", "#{policy_id}.json")
+      end
+
+      def cookbooks_staging_dir
+        File.join(staging_dir, "cookbooks")
+      end
+
+      def policyfiles_data_bag_staging_dir
+        File.join(staging_dir, "data_bags", "policyfiles")
       end
 
     end
diff --git a/spec/unit/policyfile_services/export_repo_spec.rb b/spec/unit/policyfile_services/export_repo_spec.rb
index 0fad6ee4a..af6976c13 100644
--- a/spec/unit/policyfile_services/export_repo_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/unit/policyfile_services/export_repo_spec.rb
@@ -40,10 +40,13 @@
 
   let(:force_export) { false }
 
+  let(:archive) { false }
+
   subject(:export_service) do
     described_class.new(policyfile: policyfile_rb_explicit_name,
                         root_dir: working_dir,
                         export_dir: export_dir,
+                        archive: archive,
                         force: force_export)
   end
 
@@ -154,6 +157,22 @@
         expect(export_service.policy_name).to eq("install-example")
       end
 
+      context "when using archive mode" do
+
+        let(:archive) { true }
+
+        # TODO: also support a full file name
+        context "when the given 'export_dir' is a directory" do
+
+          it "sets the archive file location to $policy_name-$revision.tgz" do
+            expected = File.join(export_dir, "install-example-60e5ad638dce219d8f87d589463ec4a9884007ba5e2adbb4c0a7021d67204f1a.tgz")
+            expect(export_service.archive_file_location).to eq(expected)
+          end
+
+        end
+
+      end
+
       describe "writing updates to the policyfile lock" do
 
         let(:updated_lockfile_io) { StringIO.new }
@@ -169,10 +188,11 @@
 
       context "copying the cookbooks to the export dir" do
 
-        context "when the export dir is empty" do
+        shared_examples_for "successful_export" do
           before do
             allow(export_service.policyfile_lock).to receive(:validate_cookbooks!).and_return(true)
             export_service.run
+            pp :export_run
           end
 
           let(:cookbook_files) do
@@ -222,6 +242,11 @@
 
         end
 
+        context "when the export dir is empty" do
+
+          include_examples "successful_export"
+        end
+
         context "When an error occurs creating the export" do
 
           before do
@@ -253,14 +278,15 @@
           end
 
           it "ignores the non-conflicting content and exports" do
-            export_service.run
-
             expect(File).to exist(file_in_export_dir)
             expect(File).to exist(extra_data_bag_item)
 
             expect(File).to be_directory(File.join(export_dir, "cookbooks"))
             expect(File).to be_directory(File.join(export_dir, "data_bags"))
           end
+
+          include_examples "successful_export"
+
         end
 
         context "When the export dir has conflicting content" do
@@ -310,9 +336,26 @@
 
           end
 
+        end # When the export dir has conflicting content
+
+        context "when archive mode is enabled" do
+
+          let(:archive) { true }
+
+          # TODO:
+          it "exports the repo as a tgz archive"
+
+          include_examples "successful_export" do
+
+            before do
+              pp :archive_before_block
+            end
+
+          end
+
         end
 
-      end
+      end # copying the cookbooks to the export dir
     end
 
   end